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Crystal Tears: Decadence Deluxe

Heavy/Power Metal

3.5/5.0

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Pride & Joy Music
Words: Craig Hartranft
Added: 02.05.2018

Another four years has passed, and that means that Greece's Crystal Tears will drop another new studio album, their fourth, Decadence Deluxe. Surprisingly, they return with a stable line up, without a change of vocalists. But true to form, Crystal Tears has jumped to another label, Germany's Pride & Joy Music.

Crystal Tears

Also, as you would expect, Crystal Tears sticks to their tried and true heavy power metal. With a few exceptions and some slight nuances, which I will highlight in a moment, most every song here is heavy, fast and furious, roaring with sharp riffage, and bristling with rabid guitar solos. Vocalist Soren Adamsen still remains the raspy metal singer, but has added a new twist to his voice: ever so slight death vocal growls, as within Death Hunts Forever. As for the exceptions and nuances, Bleeding Me begins with voice over acoustic guitar, but don't be tricked. It quickly turns heavy, yet more nuanced like melodic heavy metal rock. Similar is Dear Insanity, except that the acoustic guitar and voice at the start is much more brief. The song quickly rises to crunchy and stomping power metal. The album includes two bonus tracks: screamo acoustic versions of Queen's Tie Your Mother Down and Alice Cooper's I'm Eighteen. Those are classic rock songs, but Crystal Tears has managed to turn them into complete disappointments. Nevertheless, Decadence Deluxe finds Crystal Tears in their consistent or, depending your view, redundant groove, delivering heavy and charging power metal. No surprise there.

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Decadence Deluxe finds Crystal Tears in their consistent or, depending your view, redundant groove, delivering heavy and hard charging power metal. No surprise there.

Alphabetical Index

eviewing my archives, I was pleased to find that I have had the privilege to review every Lionville since their self-titled debut in 2011. Formed by Stefano Lionetti, a songwriter, singer and guitarist based in ... [ Read More ]